Open Dojô Inaugural Session 2011

For the first edition of Open Dojô, OpenLab received over 140 applications. Sixty-eight participants were selected for the first phase of the program, which took place in Curitiba, Brazil (7-12 February, 2011). The participants were from different regions in Brazil from a variety of areas of study, including business administration, economy, law, communication, psychology, biology, design, among others.

How it happened

One of the goals of Open Dojô is to develop greater awareness while making choices and reaching decisions, enhancing the capacity to assess the way they impact the society as a whole.The discussions about human nature’s sensitive and abstract aspects were critical to better understand today’s economic, social, and environmental realities. The methodology was dynamic; it combined knowledge with practice, valuing concrete experiences.

Action learning was a priority, as learners were at the center of the process, thinking for themselves, enhancing their ability to make innovation happen. There were several opportunities for the participants to generate active content. The development of EcoPrototypes such as new business models, products, services and technologies is an objective enshrined in the Open Dojô Program.

Participants have then initiated discussions on their future projects to be developed during the practice interval and presented at the second phase of the program (July 2011).

Learning from and working with qualified and professional faculty made a difference to the participants. In the first edition, Yoshio Kawakami, CEO of Volvo Construction Equipment Latin America challenged the frontiers of thinking to create real possibilities of innovation. Lala Deheinzel, Global expert in Creative Economy inspired all to be creative in her workshop: Creative Economy, Opportunities and Future.

The participants were encouraged to build a diversified and well developed network. They were in constant interactions that lead to updating knowledge, processes and access to and sharing of information and resources. They used their talent to constructively think about new forms of work and of doing business.

The program continued virtually during four months, when participants were busy developing innovations, solutions and prototypes for problems in society, related to mobility, health care or basic education, among other themes. The various projects developed by the groups are due for presentation in the final session of the program, taking place 11-16 July (Curitiba, Brazil).Watch the photo story here.

What participants said

"The first immersion of the Open Dojô Program was a challenging experience because it allowed me to question paradigms, which for years have been blocking my vision about my future and my personal and professional life. It was the initial kick-off for a success career, based on a very important pillar, which is sustainability. Certainly, if all recent-graduates have the opportunity to experience the “Dojô”, we will have a new generation of professionals, which before being professionals, are essentially people that make things happen. The Open Dojô placed me among this new generation." Maurício Paniza

"The 1st meeting of the Open Dojô Program was a really fantastic experience! This exchange of knowledge and diversity of the program made me think that the paradigm shift is possible and that will start through me, because it is possible to create a sustainable world. But it takes courage and attitude to act as agents of change, because the real leap into the future begins here and now." Esdras Ariel Pascke de Assis